Centre to send more troopers to Kashmir

New Delhi, (IANS) The central government on Saturday decided to send more troopers to Jammu and Kashmir to bring the situation – on the boil for four days – under control.

Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi on Saturday in a meeting of senior officials from intelligence bureau, ministry of defence, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and the ministry of home affairs reviewed the situation and assessed the requirements of Jammu and Kashmir government to bring the situation under control without any more loss of life.

“The central government is concerned over the loss of human lives in J&K during the last four days. It was decided to send additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to strengthen the security grid in the Kashmir Valley,” a home ministry statement said.

Stating that the ministry is in regular touch with senior state government officials and has been monitoring the situation on a regular basis, the statement said that the ministry has assured “full cooperation and support to the government of J&K to ensure that there is no further loss of lives”.

The statement also said the development package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Kashmir in November last year “is being expeditiously implemented for the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir, which will generate employment for the local youth and bring overall prosperity in the State”.

A civilian was killed and four others were injured on Friday allegedly in a firing by soldiers as angry residents clashed with security forces and tried to storm their camp amid simmering anger over four similar deaths since Tuesday in tense but curfew-bound Kashmir Valley.